Race will speak at the Abilene Black Chamber of Commerce's annual dinner on Monday.

What: 21st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Banquet

When: 6 p.m. Monday

Where: Abilene Civic Center, 1100 N. Sixth St.

Cost: $25 per person

Information: 325-338-7372.

At first glance, improving one's health might not appear to be the usual topic for a speech on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

To Dallas physician James Race, however, it makes perfect sense.

"The Martin Luther King legacy is for the betterment of all people in all ways," said Race, who will present the keynote address Monday at the Abilene Black Chamber of Commerce's annual dinner in honor of the slain civil rights leader at the Abilene Civic Center.

Race, 59, has been a general internist for more than 20 years. He said Monday's speech will give him the opportunity to share his message with a wider audience. The idea is simple: Get healthy.

"Under the new health care law, you're going to be asked to do more on your own," Race said, adding that doctors, who will be judged on the success rate of their patients, will work to improve their odds by not taking patients who are poor risks because of unhealthy habits.

"If you smoke and you're overweight and you don't exercise, you may have a problem finding a doctor," he said.

Race noted that African-Americans have higher instances of hypertension, diabetes and heart disease, as well as obesity. He said he stresses the importance of bridging that gap through preventive measures and healthy lifestyle choices.

Race said the invitation to speak at the dinner was extended in the fall, and

he "pretty much honed in" on the health topic then, although he said that he was still in the process of tweaking his speech last week.

Race grew up in Houston, the son of a zoology professor.

He said his father's field of study led him to become a physician.

"I guess I was a senior in high school when I decided to become a doctor," he said. "My father used to bring home specimens — not always to my mother's approval, but we always used a sheet underneath them. That kind of piqued my interest. What would be the next logical step?"

Race decided that the next step would be to become a doctor, which put him in a position to help people.

"Basically, I'm a problem solver," he said. "As far as I'm concerned, every problem has a solution."